Life as we know it

Today, just something short that my wife taught me: Romans 4:3 - What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” This comes from Genesis 15:6 if you want to read the context. The question is whether I believe IN God, or whether I believe God. Think about it. There is a difference...

How do you know if you love something? If I go away for a while, the things I love are the things I miss most. Sometimes seen as the obvious things: My wife, my dogs, family, being at my own place, etc. We all have those things that we like, or love. The things that makes us tick, the things that makes us feel safe... When I was hospitalised and operated on I had a lot of time to think. I knew what happened cannot be by chance, there had to be a reason. What the reason was I didn't know. Now, a while later I have come to the realisation that while living my life I might not have given my Saviour the time and attention that is proper. I have had 5 weeks off now and though I could not read too much I could talk again. In ICU thats all I could manage if I didn't sleep. Silent prayer. Maybe it was time for me to sit back and evaluate my life. I have made adjustments and will continue to do so. Maybe it is time for all of us to evaluate where we stand in life. To decide what

Where I grew up (a small town in the Northern Cape) there were no walls around the houses. All the yards were open at the front, with a fence at the back. This, I always thought, was because we had to constrain our dogs in order for them not to run riot in other peoples space. As time passed residents bought the houses from the mine and gradually started building walls around it. The last time I visited almost all houses had walls around, so much so that you could only see walls from the road. In the city we are used to this. Its almost the exception that we see a house without a wall. Here we blame "crime and safety" for building higher walls and adding electric fences to it. I sometimes wonder if it isn't a matter of privacy. Those are only the physical walls. We, as human beings, build walls around us as well. We do this because of pain: getting hurt through past experiences. In building such walls we do not allow others to see what is going on inside our souls

The other day I mentioned that we are more than dogs: http://rudolf-rautenbach.blogspot.com/2012/06/who-am-i.html What I have said there is very true. We are everything to God, thus He does everything for us. YES, we are created to be His His crown, and 1 - We should rule over the earth - Genesis 1:26 2 - We are the head and not the tail - Deuteronomy 28:13 3 - We are more than conquerors through Christ - Romans 8:37 BUT, there's always a but... Although we are the crown of His creation, it is not all about is. We were not created to be "untouchables", unfortunately. We were not created to boast about ourselves, about our achievements, about the strenghts we have, how well we can tell a story, etc. Its not about us... Please get what I am trying to say here: It's not about us, it's about Him. He is the reason for us being here. Live every day as if it's your last, for Him. As in yesterdays message, worship HIM. John 4:23 and

I am sure all of you would agree with me that God is great. All would agree that you won't be where you are if it wasn't for Him. I know I won't be... I thank Him a lot for all that He does for me. I stand in awe of things that happens, though I did not think it is possible. There are so many things that happen that I do not even know of. Small things, like waking up, seeing the sunrise, flowers that bloom, people that smile, etc. I am sure you get what I want to say. The Lord give us all of this and many more. I have heard from someone I respect that worship is the reflection of revelation . God reveals Himself to us and we respond to that by worshipping Him. In some ways we cannot help but worship Him, but for the small things we "forget" to. BUT, we cannot just worship Him for what He does for us. He loves us unconditionally. He wants to be close to us. He does not need us, but has a longing to be with us. After all, He is W orthy O f W orship

Often we go to a coffee shop to have a piece of cake, as well as some traditional coffee. I don't have a favourite shop, but try out as many different as possible. Friends tell us about a new shop they have discovered and then we also visit those. When we go there one of our favourite things to do is to pretend to figure out what other people are discussing. It usually turns out more or less like a soap opera, overelaborate and dramatic. We say the first thing that comes to mind. We do roleplay where my wife has a part I have a part. Normally very funny! The last time we did this I sat there thinking: What if another couple did the same with us? What would they be saying? How much drama would they build into their act, seeing as I am a little bit expressive?! The fact of the matter is that how you see other people is in all likelihood how they will see you. The perception you form about them will be reflected back to you. They will treat me as I treat them. I don't

As mentioned in one of my previous blogs I have two dogs, Franklin and Jefferson. We received Franklin in July 2009 and bought Jefferson in October of the same year. Both of them are dogs (thus males), thus we thought that they might be a bit aggressive with each other. During the first six months Jeffey was a lot smaller than Franky. He got rolled over almost every time and had to submit constantly. This forced him to be weary of Franky, even if a fight was not on the cards. He is grown up now and is the same size, if not bigger than Franky. If a motorcycle drives past our gate Franky would be there to ensure that his territory is protected. He barks like crazy and would sit there until the peace is restored. Jeffey would also run closer, but only to the edge of the patio. If he runs to the gate Franky attacks him as if he is the culprit. You see, he has learned that Franky is in charge of the yard and he has to submit.  In a humans life, this is also the case. We get told

If you can, even if you don't understand the language, please try and listen to this clip. If you do not understand afrikaans I do believe that the Spirit will inspire something in you:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98YswlW-ab4 When I see the video and listen to the words Matthew 8:27 comes to mind. Jesus was sleeping in the boat while a storm scared the daylight out of the disciples. They woke Him up and He calmed the storm in a few words, upon which they stood amazed and said: Who is this Man that even the wind and the waves listens to Him? Sometimes I get dishearted, other times I get struck down by illness, sometimes things happen that I don't understand and most of the time I am amazed by what He does in and for me. He amazes me more and more and, like these guys, I have to start looking at the simple everyday things around me to get more and more awe of Him. Lets be amazed...

I developed a strong interest in woodworking from my grandfather. He taught himself everything about it when he was already old. It was an after hours hobby that almost became full-time. He loved it, and I loved being around when it was possible. He taught me a lot. As a result of this I selected woodworking as one of my subjects during high school. I fully embraced it and did very well (yes, I have proof of it!). For my final year I made a kiaat cupboard which is one of my proudest achievements. These days I use it as a tv-cabinet. My handmade kiaat cabinet My woodworking teacher told me how he had to build two speaker boxes for the school hall. While he made it there were two large cracks, one in each speaker. In order to get the boxes to be effective for what it was intended, he had to make a decision. Either he starts from scratch, or he had to use what he already started. Each crack was filled with woodfiller, sanded and varnished. This was done so effectively that

Since 2010 my wife developed a keen interest in bird watching. Her argument was that, since we love camping and the outdoors very much, we miss out on a great deal of what nature has to offer. For our anniversary I decided to buy her a South African bird guide, while she (by chance?) bought me binoculars. Since then, each trip we have undertaken, all our gear went with. A whole new world opened for us. We came to know that in the past we only saw about one quarter of the park we visited as there are many more birds than antelopes. Living in SA spoils us a bit as we get to see the big 5 and some other great animals regularly. While being at home, after the operation, bored, I started sitting on our stoep, watching birds in our garden. We have some lovely trees (with no leaves since its winter; better view), a bird feeder and water for them. All you need to attract the birds; usually you only need time... Sitting outside busy with something that I love makes me think

Myself and thousands of South Africans absolutely love the Springboks. Its a sport of passion, dedication, skill and sheer power. In SA we have some of the biggest men that play the sport, with particular athleticism. In actual fact, I usually joke that rugby has become a religion here. When a try is scored, we jump up and down with joy, we shout aloud and give high-fives! When our team deserves a penalty we shout at the referee, but when we get one we thank the ref. In many ways it reminds me of church, thus religion. We get angry at the Lord, we thank Him, we question His decisions, we are baffled by what He is doing to us. If, in the end, when we see the bigger picture, we want to give Him a high-five. I can go on and on with parallels, but the bottom line is: are you as passionate about Him as you are about the sport? Think about that during the game, or any other sport...

Every year winter sneaks up on us as if we never knew it was coming. Some years feel colder than others, while the type of work you do also plays a major part. Being outside is obviously much colder. Winter is an odd time in certain respects. While its cold, its also not the prettiest time of the year. The grass is dead, there are no leaves on the trees, the night is much longer than the day and you cannot swim! You have to wear layers and layers of clothing which isn't ideal, not to me in any case... There are some positives as well: - You have a much better chance of seeing game while on a game drive - You can light a fire in the fireplace (true bliss, if you own one...) - Everything regenerates That is the real point. During the time that we complain about freezing, the earth around us dies down and prepares for spring. The fact that the veld and our gardens are not green means that its in a period of rest. Without even thinking about it we know that it will be a

These days we all know how to Google. In fact, we probably use it all the time. I am still relatively young, in my own eyes anyways... I cannot think for a moment how it would have been without Google. From work, research, planning holidays, confirming information that friends mentioned, anything, all of it is there. I can only remember one instance where Google didn't have an answer, but unfortunately I cannot remember the instance... Also, Google has become so popular that it is now a recognised term. Instead of saying: "I will research it" we now say that "I will Google it". Google has made my life so much easier! And that is only the search engine; I have not even mentioned Google Maps, Gmail, Google Sky map, Google Goggles, etc. There is a legion of options to choose from because of Google. What makes Google great is that it is instant. With the touch of a few buttons you have answers, you have information. You can fix things, you can consult,

Being an accountant I observe certain things as theory, while others are applied practically. One of them has always been the management accounting term "just-in-time". But before I become too technical, let me explain: "just-in-time" means that your stock or goods are delivered just as you require them, just as they need to be used. This takes some considerable planning, teamwork and suppliers who are committed to the cause. It is to your benefit in that you do not have to store excess inventory and thus save on rent, a store man, etc. The downside, or potential risk, is that you can run out of a certain item, thus halting your entire process. As human beings (maybe I am only talking about myself), we tend to do the same. We live our lives without thinking too far ahead. We take it one day at a time and then see if any other need arises. OR we plan so far ahead that we do not live our lives. By doing this we feel that we are in control. From the bit of experi

At certain times we are reminded about the purpose of other people in our lives. The supposed hero to most of us is our dad. That is the way it belongs. While you are still young he can do ANYTHING, knows the answers to ALL questions and can handle ANY situation. Also, he is bigger than all other dad's (if movies are to be believed...) There are several stages to our relationship to Dad. While you are a baby, a toddler, Primary school, being a teen, being a young adult and then when you are an adult. To my mind the best few stages are the toddler, primary school and adult stages. If the others are not nice, it’s mostly because of us, the children... Unfortunately I am not quite qualified to talk about this as my Dad passed away when I was only 5 years old, 6 days before my 6th birthday. At the time (maybe because I was this young) I didn't understand the complete impact thereof. I was sad (have photos to prove that) but could never realise what it would mean to me in the lo

Heyneke Meyer, the new Springbok rugby coach, once told this story to the Bulls team before a very important game: A group of farmers gathered together to pray for rain in their area. They took the whole day and asked for rain for the entire country. During the prayer-session a young boy came up to his dad. The boy wanted to understand what exactly happened: Son: Dad, what did you do today? Dad: We prayed for rain so that our crops might grow and we can ensure we deliver it to the marked. Son: Do you believe that it will rain? Dad: Yes, I do! Son: Then why didn't you bring an umbrella with you? The whole purpose of him telling this story to the team was so that they should not just train and pitch up for the game, but they should be prepared for the outcome thereof. They should visualise and believe what they are asking for, they should also prepare for it, and "know" that it will happen. I found this story very profound as it teaches us some important lessons. It i

Its almost a cliche to hear or say that the key to success in life is to achieve balance. This is one of the things that drive a lot of people, including me. The ultimate balance, according to us is when we don't have to work too hard, thus having more time for friends, family, outdoors, sport, camping, relaxation, hobbies and whatever makes us tick. It makes you feel like a brand new person, giving you new diligence back at work. I have had some of the best times at work for most of my career. The better the work becomes, the more exciting and harder it becomes. This ensures that personal growth takes place and the rewards outlasts the time and effort it costs. All of this makes you think about all you want to achieve. At this stage you get caught up by all the work relative to the rest of the balances in your life, called imbalance! At no stage is it possible for me to blame any work/job for the situation I find myself in. We all decide for ourselves and have to take respon

Certain things in life happen by chance. Others are there because we make certain choices. No matter what the origin of these choices are, all of them affect our lives and forces us to adjust. In July 2009 we received a Scottish terrier as a gift. We had about 5 days to decide and plan this move. Although it was a straight forward decision in the end, we still had to think about whether or not our lifestyle would suite another living being. After deliberation it was decided that we will take him, and make him part of the family. Life has not been the same since then. We took him to St. Lucia a month later, something we probably enjoyed more than he did. We allowed him in our house as it was winter, now hes n regular fixture. By about October we realised that he was alone and should get n brother. We bought another one and spoiled the both of them rotten. I think they've got a great life! In many ways I figure this is the same as when we are born. The only difference is that Go

Family is obviously defined as relationships because of ones birth or marriage. This makes sense as we do not have a choice in the matter. We grow up with them and love them, we fight and disagree, and spent highs and lows together. At different stages we feel different about these members of our lives, to my opinion only because we cannot choose them. Despite this, blood is thicker than water and we continue to support and love each other. When this is not the case we have to do introspection as in most cases its self inflicted. During times of need family is there, that I have learned. It was especially the case for me recently, and I am VERY grateful! What I have also discovered that blood isn't the only family that exists. You also get:  - Friends  - Cell groups  - Work  - Church  - Camp buddies! These people have been great and without such support no person could have a normal, functioning and fulfilled life! We are not forced to have them, and can take it

There are certain things in life that some of us would never do. Then, for others, they are so standard or essential that they can't do other than fully commit and ensure that they achieve this. What I am specifically thinking about is this past Sunday's Comrades marathon. I knew a few people that went to compete in the race, but I only knew one as a close friend. This was the third time that he went toKwazulu-Natal for the prestigious event. During both the other races he had to withdraw after completing a significant portion of the race because of injury. Although myself, and probably everyone that knows him, were very proud of what he achieved, his goal was not achieved, so he started training soon again. Training takes up probably 11 months of the year. They run half-marathons, marathons, ultra-marathons, and those are only the races. Four or five days a week they run 10 or more kilometres. Rest is maximum one or two days. One of these days it is the Olympics again. Th

A dramatic occurrence can force you to rethink most, if not all your past and future steps. It requires you to ensure that you balance your life, as well as reaffirm critical relationships. Mans primary relationship is with his Maker. When you get the type of fright that I had lately you recommit, spend time and you recreate the song that you've had in your heart. Life with God becomes a pleasure again, almost effortless and natural. Unfortunately this does not last forever, as "life" happens. We continue with our work, social life, habits and hobbies. We spend time procrastinating, or fixed to technology, sport and excuses. Although there is a balance to everything, none of these make sense without Him.  We are nothing without Him, serve no purpose and cannot be fulfilled without tapping into the Source of Power that is Jesus. No day can be perfect without Him, no success can be achieved. He alone makes it happen. In order for me to live closer to Him, here&#

Now this is a journey that has only one final destination: Eternal life. We often do not understand normal life. Then, as soon as we cope with it a curveball is thrown. This especially, blows your mind. In my case, it was literally. Monday, 21 May 2012, changed my life. A normal workingday ended with 10 days in hospital, immediate brain surgery, and now 6 weeks to sit,walk and talk again. Trying times, but oppertunity for improvements and lifestyle choices. So many things to consider,but only one to seriously reinvent: mans primary relationship. Join me in a practical review, with hopefully a lasting impact, such as this: LIFE, thats the questionmark. Rudolf Rautenbach